More Than 700 Killed in Nigeria Clashes -Red Cross

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Source: Reuters

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Aug 2 (Reuters) - More than 700 people were killed during a five-day uprising by a radical Islamic sect in northern Nigeria and the search for bodies is continuing, Red Cross and defence officials said on Sunday.

Gunbattles raged for days last week as the security forces fought to put down the uprising by members of Boko Haram, a militant movement which wants sharia (Islamic law) to be imposed more widely in Africa's most populous nation.

Violence flared in several states but Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state where sect leader Mohammed Yusuf had his base, saw the heaviest fighting.

"From our findings, the toll is 780 so far ... A joint operation team has been tasked to search for remaining dead bodies all over the town," Aliiyu Maikano, northeastern disaster management officer for the Nigerian Red Cross, told Reuters.

more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL2435108